EdinburghLivi

Wondering if Martindale also has Longridge eyed as a back-up centre back. He played left in a 3 a few times towards the end of last season. Would be preferable to Kelly based on what I saw.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/livingston-boss-hopeful-craig-sibbald-24983369 Good summary of the squad availability here. Kabia is the only one not mentioned.

"Grace Kelly" by Mika was UK number 1 the last time Celtic beat us at Almondvale.

Thanks for posting this, it wasn't clear from what I had read. Fortunately our trip to Tynecastle is on the 25th so I should at least escape this shambles, if they don't get it sorted before October.

Agree with every word of this. 2 forwards feels a bit weird for me given our success with 1 over the last few seasons but I think it might be something to look at, given our lack of goals. Unfortunately due to the centre-back situation, Martindale has backed himself into a corner and I can only see 2 up top working in a 4-4-2. If Martindale is not prepared to go to a 2, Hamilton or Panayiotou should get a shot. Just requires Shinnie and Forrest to play closer to them.

Goalkeepers 1. Daniel Barden - 2022 (Loan) 32. Max Stryjek - 2023 Defenders 2. Nicky Devlin - 2023 3. Jackson Longridge - 2023 4. Tom Parkes - 2022 5. Jack Fitzwater - 2023 6. Ayo Obileye - 2023 (1 year extension option) 21. Jack McMillan - 2022 24. Sean Kelly - 2022 29. James Penrice - 2024 Midfielders 7. Keaghan Jacobs - 2022 8. Scott Pittman - 2023 10. Craig Sibbald - 2022 12. Ben Williamson - 2022 (Loan) 16. Adam Lewis - 2022 (Loan) 18. Jason Holt - 2023 33. Stephane Omeonga - 2023 40. Marvin Bartley - 2022 Forwards 9. Bruce Anderson - 2024 11. Cristian Montano - 2023 (1 year extension option) 14. Odin Bailey - 2022 (Loan) 15. Harrison Panayiotou - 2023 (1 year extension option) 17. Alan Forrest - 2022 22. Andrew Shinnie - 2023 23. Jack Hamilton - 2022 37. Jaze Kabia - 2023 In Bruce Anderson - Aberdeen Odin Bailey - Birmingham City (Loan) Daniel Barden - Norwich City (Loan) Harrison Clark - Chester-Le-Street United Sean Kelly - Falkirk Adam Lewis - Liverpool (Loan) Cristian Montano - Port Vale Joel Nouble - Aldershot Town Stephane Omeonga - Pescara Ayo Obileye - Queen of the South Harrison Panayiotou - Aldershot Town Tom Parkes - Exeter City James Penrice - Partick Thistle Andrew Shinnie - Charlton Athletic Ben Williamson - Rangers (Loan) Loans Out Harrison Clark - Arbroath - Contract Expiry 2023 Josh Mullin - Hamilton - Contract Expiry 2023 Joel Nouble - Arbroath - Contract Expiry 2023 (1 year extension option) Carlo Pignatiello - Dumbarton - Contract Expiry 2022 (?) Matej Poplatnik - Raith Rovers - Contract Expiry 2022 (1 year extension option) Gavin Reilly - Greenock Morton - Contract Expiry 2022 Brian Schwake - Edinburgh City - Contract Expiry 2023 Left Club Efe Ambrose - St. Johnstone Raffaele De Vita - LVPA Frascati Djibril Diani - Grasshoppers (Loan return) Jay Emmanuel-Thomas - Aberdeen Jon Guthrie - Northampton Town Salim Kouider-Aissa - Airdrieonians Steve Lawson Alan Lithgow - Greenock Morton Robby McCrorie - Rangers (Loan return) Scott Robinson - Kilmarnock Julien Serrano - Monaco (Loan return) Ross Stewart - Hearts Aaron Taylor-Sinclair Scott Tiffoney - Partick Thistle Post transfer window post. Raffa appears to have moved home to Rome, Lawson and ATS still without clubs. 18 players contracted beyond this season, on the loose assumption that no one extends their deal.

Send Nouble back to us pls.

Letting Nouble go is looking like a bad decision. Surprised he wasn't kept as an option simply due to his size and that's without considering the talent the guy must have shown on trial. I haven't been able to watch the last 4 games but not sure Anderson is working out on his own, based on what I have seen this season. Hamilton or Panayiotou should get a chance to start.

Will have to double check but I believe that continues Leigh Griffiths' streak of 0 goals scored against the Amber Machine. Get it up him. Important to get off the mark and secure a clean sheet. Will give us confidence to build from in the coming weeks.

Agree with ATLIS. Just because Kelly is rubbish, shouldn't mean we sign Ambrose as a slightly better back-up. He looked done at the end of last season (Hibs away, in particular). Hopefully Parkes is back in and can look to fill that immediate back-up need before pushing to get back into the first 11.

Not a fan of him despite our current troubles in defence. Felt like we started to get progressively worse at the back from the point of him signing. I should add that he was occasionally good but far too inconsistent based on what I would expect for a player of his calibre and experience.

Seems like we'll have 21/22 players fit and available for this, that makes me feel a bit more positive than I was (particularly if Kelly is shunted out the squad).

2 others in our 18 are the best players in their house though so it all evens out.

Must not lose, imho. Horrible record at Dens but we have to get off the mark. Hopefully we have a strong 18 back for this one.

This is the problem with Martindale's 'we won't be relegated' nonsense from last week. Doesn't look like there are any garbage teams in the league this year (Ross County aside but they have the money pit) so we will have to actually be good to avoid relegation. We have a lot of good players, they need to start showing it.

What centre half problem?

Just trying to comprehend the squad and make it as balanced as it could possibly be in terms of options. I think our best bet might be the 'break glass in case of emergency' 4-2-3-1. GK: Stryjek, Barden RB: Devlin, McMillan CB: Fitzwater, Obileye, Parkes, Kelly *shudders* LB: Longridge, Penrice CM: Holt, Omeonga, Jacobs, Williamson RM: Bailey, Shinnie, Kabia AM: Pittman, Sibbald LM: Forrest, Lewis, Montano ST: Anderson, Hamilton, Panayiotou It's not stupidly unbalanced if you take it like this. Furthermore, if you take the panic signing of Kelly out of it, I'd be relatively happy with the cover we have for every position. A lot is riding on Parkes getting fit and being decent. Edit to add: Despite the cover, the defence is still lacking quality in every position.

Martindale has gone all-in on this transfer strategy through what seems like pure stubbornness. He will have no one but himself to blame, if it goes wrong.

Christ, that sounds horrible.

Glad to see other people are as seething as me at the Omeonga signing. Absolutely ridiculous when Sean Kelly was third choice centre back yesterday.

Striker, imho. Seriously though, will be stunned if it isn't a centre-back. Obileye inexperienced, Fitzwater inconsistent, Parkes disappeared off the face of the earth and Kelly who isn't good enough based on what I've seen in the past. Fitzwater as a back-up right-back is fine based on what I saw last season, haven't watched too much of him this season. Really poor squad building from Martindale. Stacking us in certain positions while leaving us painfully short in others. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the summer arrivals are gone before the end of the window.

Not an expert but Oppco6 won't go into administration, they would be struck off the register. That would probably cause issues with the SFA if the majority shareholding company were not registered. As I say, it seems likely that this was due to late account submissions which has now been rectified. A suspension notification needs to be lodged with Companies House. The company has no creditors so this request should be upheld.

Willie Miller talking there about "wur top 6 teams in Scotland, ye know" was particularly painful.